Ottolenghi

This artichoke concoction – very green and very fresh – makes springtime seem well worth waiting for, even from the thick of a gloomy and wintery distance. I you can’t get freekeh use bulgar wheat but cook it for only 5 minutes, before draining and refreshing.
Serves four
4 large globe artichokes (2.5kg gross)
Juice of 3 medium lemons (120ml)
2 large sprigs of thyme
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
10 black peppercorns
60ml olive oil
½ a lemon, thinly sliced (40g)
200g green peas, fresh or frozen
100g freekeh, rinsed
15g mint leaves, roughly chopped
10g dill, roughly chopped
15g parsley, roughly chopped
1 tbsp pink peppercorns
10g purple basil, leaves picked
Salt and black pepper
To clean the artichokes, cut off most of the stalk and start removing the tough outer leaves by hand. Once you reach the softer leaves, take a sharp serrated knife and trim off 2–3 centimetres from the top. Cut the artichoke in half lengthways so you can reach the heart and scrape it clean with a small knife. Rub the clean heart with a teaspoon of lemon juice to stop it discolouring. Cut each artichoke half into slices, 5mm thick. Place in cold water and stir in half the remaining lemon juice, about 50ml.
Drain the artichokes and place in a sauté pan. Add the remaining lemon juice, thyme, garlic, black peppercorns, olive oil, lemon slices, 4 tablespoons of water and a pinch of salt. Cook on the stove on a medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes. By this time the artichokes should be soft and the sauce a thick consistency.
Fill a medium saucepan with plenty of cold water and bring to the boil. Add the peas and blanch for 30 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to immediately plunge them into cold water, then drain and leave to dry. Add the freekeh into the same pan and simmer gently until al dente, about 20 minutes. Drain, refresh under cold water and leave to dry.
Place the artichoke and their juices in a large mixing bowl. Add the peas, freekeh, herbs, ½ a teaspoon of salt and some black pepper and toss gently. Taste to see if more salt is needed and sprinkle with the pink peppercorns. Plate and finish with the purple basil.

My version on this classic, seen throughout the Middle East, is salty and sour and pretty rich. It’s quick to make and easily turns into both adults’ and children’s food of choice.
Serves Makes 4 large or 12 small snack size pizzas
Topping
250g minced beef
1 medium onion, finely chopped (180g net)
1¼ tsp salt
1½ tsp ground cinnamon
1½ tsp ground allspice
½ tsp flaked red chilli
25g flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1½ tbsp sumac
3 tbsp tahini paste
25g pine nuts
2 tbsp lemon juice
Dough
250g white flour, plus extra to dust
1½ tbsp milk powder
½ tbsp salt
2 tsp fast-action dried yeast
½ tbsp caster sugar
60ml sunflower oil
1 medium egg
100ml lukewarm water
Olive oil for brushing
Salad (optional)
1 mini-cucumber, cut into 1cm dice (190g)
2 small tomatoes, cut into 1cm dice (150g)
10 radishes, thinly sliced (75g)
½ red onion, thinly sliced (65g)
10g parsley, roughly chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper
Start with the dough. Put the flour, milk powder, salt, yeast and sugar in a large mixing bowl and stir well to combine. Make a well in the centre. Add the sunflower oil and egg and stir as you add the water. When the dough comes together, remove it from the bowl and knead lightly for 3 minutes on your work surface until smooth, elastic and uniform. Dust a bowl lightly with flour, place the dough inside, brush with some olive oil, cover with cling film and leave somewhere warm for 1 hour, at which point the dough should have almost doubled.
Put all of the topping ingredients in a large bowl, apart from the tahini, pine nuts and lemon juice. Mix well with your hands and refrigerate.
Preheat the oven to 210°C and line two large baking sheets with baking parchment.
Divide the risen dough into 40g balls, you should get about 12, and roll each into a thin disc, about 2mm thick and 15cm in diameter. Brush each disc lightly with olive oil on both sides and place on the baking sheet. Cover and leave to rise for 15 minutes.
If you make the salad, mix together the vegetables and add the parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, ¼ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Stir gently and set aside.
Spread the tahini onto each pastry disc, divide the filling between the pastries and spread it evenly so it covers the dough fully. Sprinkle over the pine nuts and place in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until just cooked. You want to make sure the pastry is just baked, not over-baked; the topping can be slightly pink inside and the pastry golden when you look underneath. Remove from the oven, spoon the salad on top, if making, and finish with a drizzle of lemon juice.

This looks fantastic when served on a large platter over a bed of fresh parsley – leaves and stalks. You can sear the meat, grill the peppers and make the sauce (without the herbs) – all in advance, then finish the meat and add the herbs to the sauce at the very last minute. Try it with Rosso Piceno Bacchus. Authentic, ripe and spicy, the wine's soft fruit notes and touch of oak spice make it the perfect partner for this fragrant lamb dish.
Serves eight
1 leg of lamb, deboned and trimmed (1.5kg net)
3 red peppers, cut into quarters and seeds removed (370g net)
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper
Marinade
6 garlic cloves, crushed
Grated zest of 2 lemons
90ml lemon juice
3 tbsp thyme leaves, picked
90ml olive oil
Sauce
100ml olive oil
175g whole almonds
Grated zest of 1 lemon
4 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp honey
½ tsp orange blossom water
15g mint, finely chopped
15g coriander leaves, finely chopped
Start with the marinade. In a large bowl combine the garlic, lemon zest and juice, the picked thyme leaves, olive oil, 1½ teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper and stir well.
Divide the lamb into 4 or 5 even pieces and add to the marinade. Use your hands to massage the marinade into the meat. Put in the fridge and leave to marinate for a minimum of 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 220ºC.
Place a large ridged griddle pan on high heat. Drizzle the peppers with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and ¼ teaspoon of salt and place on the grill. Cook for about 7 minutes, turning once, until charred on all sides. Set aside to cool, then cut into 2 centimeter wide strips.
Put the lamb pieces on the hot grill and cook for 2-3minutes on each side or until charred all over and starting to caramelise. Transfer onto a roasting tray and put in the hot oven for 4 minutes. The meat should reach a rare to medium stage by then (leave a few minutes longer if you like it well cooked). Check by pressing against the meat. The less the “give” the more it is cooked. If you aren’t sure, just make a small incision to check for the colour. Once the lamb is cooked, remove it from the oven, cover the tray with foil and leave to rest for 5-10 minutes.
Meanwhile make the sauce. Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a small pan and add the almonds. Cook for 3-4 minutes stirring continuously until the nuts are golden brown and evenly cooked. Remove from the heat and allow to cool a little. Place the nuts in a food processor and roughly crush. Mix in the lemon zest and juice, honey, orange blossom water, ½ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of pepper and the remaining olive oil. Mix well and set aside.
When you are ready to serve, carve the lamb into 1cm thick slices and arrange it on a platter along with the peppers. Add the freshly chopped herbs to the sauce and spoon on top. Serve any remaining sauce on the side.

Ottolenghi meets Morocco – this couscous salad is a perfect fusion of the remarkable Berber food culture and Ottolenghi-style salad platter. Serve it alongside the Barbecued leg of lamb or on its own with some Greek yoghurt, stirred with some olive oil. Try it with this surprising Rioja - Pharos Bodega Classica. Crisp, creamy and complex, the freshness will compliment the couscous' lively flavours while its complexity makes it the perfect food wine.
Serves eight
6 tbsp olive oil
2 large onions, sliced into 2mm thick rings (400g net)
1 tsp honey
½ tsp ras el hanout spice mix
60g golden raisins or sultanas
600g cherry tomatoes
500g couscous
25g unsalted butter, cut into 3cm dice
1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and lightly crushed
1 garlic cloves, crushed
80g toasted almonds, roughly chopped
25g rocket, roughly chopped
20g coriander, roughly chopped
20g parsley, roughly chopped
20g mint, roughly torn
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp argan oil, or olive oil if unavailable
Salt and black pepper
Pre-heat the oven to 150C.
Start by caramelising the onions. Place a medium sauté pan on a medium to high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the onions, honey, ras el hanout, ¼ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Cook for 15-30 minutes, on until the onions are soft, dark brown and sweet. Remove from the heat, stir in the raisins or sultanas and set aside.
Place a ridged griddle pan on high heat and leave until piping hot. Mix the tomatoes with 2 tablespoons of oil and cook on the hot pan for about 4 minutes, until the skin is slightly charred and the flesh is soft, turning occasionally. Set aside.
Line the base and sides of a roasting tin, approximately 20 x 30 centimeters, with baking paper and put in the couscous, along with ½ a teaspoon of salt. Pour over 800ml of boiling water and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Stir and leave to soak for 10 minutes, covered with foil. Dot the soaked couscous with the butter cubes, cover with foil again and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and fluff up with a fork.
Once the couscous has cooled slightly transfer it into a large bowl. Add the onion and raisin mix and stir. Add the cumin seeds, garlic, almonds, rocket and most of the herbs, leaving a little to the end. Finally add the lemon juice, ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper and mix gently.
Gradually transfer the couscous to a serving platter scattering with the cherry tomatoes as you go. Finish with a sprinkle of herbs and drizzle with argan oil.

Delicious served with Moroccan mint tea. Instead of saffron, you can finish them with grated lemon zest. They are also good without any kind of icing or garnish, just dipped in a creamy yoghurt sauce made by whisking together Greek yoghurt, double cream, vanilla and a bit of icing sugar. Makes 16 cigars.
Serves four to six
70g roughly finely chopped walnuts
70g roughly finely chopped almonds
½ tsp ground cinnamon
80g caster sugar
1 medium egg, separated
1 tbsp grated lemon zest
16 warka or filo sheets, 12cm x 18cm
About 500ml sunflower oil for frying
Salt
Icing
½ tsp saffron threads
2 tbsp boiling water
240g icing sugar
3 tbsp lemon juice
Start by soaking the saffron in a small bowl with the boiling water. Leave aside for 45 minutes.
In a medium pan put the ground walnuts, ground almonds, cinnamon, sugar, 4 tablespoons of water and a pinch of salt. Heat at a low temperature, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved, about 4 minutes. Take off the heat and allow to cool. Whisk in the lemon zest and egg yolk and set aside.
Take one sheet of filo and place it on a clean, dry work surface with the long edge facing you. Spread 1 tablespoon of the nut mixture, about 15 grams, in a thin strip along the edge closest to you, clearing 1cm away from the sides on the right and left. Fold the two sides over the paste to hold it in on both sides and roll away from you to create a compact cigar. Brush the last 1 centimeter of pastry with the egg white and fold to seal. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.
Pour enough oil into a medium frying pan so it come 2cm up the sides. Heat up the oil on medium to high heat until it reaches 190C. If you don’t have a thermometer, throw in a small piece of filo and see that it sizzles and cooks but doesn’t brown and burns in seconds. Cook the cigars in batches, 1-2 minutes on each side, until golden-brown and crispy. If it takes less than this, reduce the heat. Remove with a slotted spoon or tongs and place on a cooling rack.
Make a thick icing by whisking together the icing sugar and lemon juice. It should be very thick still pourable. Spoon or brush the icing onto the cigars allowing it to coat them naturally. Remove some saffron threads from the water with a fork and scatter them on top. Leave for a few minutes to set and then eat at once.

You will go back to this salsa over and over again; it has just the right balance of sharp and sweet and works well with most fish. The chermoula marinade will also work well with aubergines and even chicken. Try it with Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Gino. Made from a selection of old Verdicchio clones from ancient vineyards, the wine's intensity and purity will cut through the spicy chermoula flavours.
Serves four
4 small sea bass, scaled and gutted (each fish 300g net)
4 plum tomatoes, halved (400g gross)
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp argan oil
Salt
Chermoula
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
60g coriander, stalk and leaves finely chopped
1 whole preserved lemon, flesh discarded and the skin roughly chopped (80g net)
3 tsp ground cumin, toasted
2 tsp sweet paprika
2 tsp lemon juice
4 tbsp olive oil
Salsa
1 whole preserved lemon, flesh discarded and the skin finely diced (80g net)
40g raisins
1 tbsp lemon juice
15g parsley, finely chopped
15g coriander, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
Pre-heat the oven to 180C and place a large roasting tin inside.
First make the chermoula. Put the garlic, coriander, preserved lemon, cumin and paprika in a mortar and pound to a paste with a pestle. Add the lemon juice and olive oil and mix together. You can also mix all the ingredients together in the food processor. Set aside.
Gently score the skin of the fish in 3 places on each side, spaced roughly 5 centimeters apart. Spread the chermoula all over the inside and outside of the fish. Cover and refrigerate.
Mix all the salsa ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.
Heat up a frying pan large enough to hold two fish, and place it on high heat. Brush the tomatoes with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and place, skin side down, in the hot pan. Cook for 3 minutes, turn over and cook on the flesh side for another 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and leave somewhere warm.
Brush the fish with the remaining olive oil and sprinkle with some salt on both sides. Place 2 of the fish in the pan and cook for 2 minutes on one side. Remove from the heat and cook the other 2 fish similarly. Transfer the 4 fish onto the hot roasting tin with the uncooked side facing up and cook for 6-8 minutes, adding the tomatoes to the pan for the last 2 minutes.
Put the fish on a serving plate and top with salsa. Put the tomatoes alongside and drizzle with argan oil.

Yotam tries his hand at making couscous while actually making a puzzled Berber woman laugh out loud at her very first sight of a MAN touching her semolina jewels. Or a Sudanese man, looking after the hammam fire, bursts out in traditional song after cooking the most delectable cumin and saffron scented meat stew, tangia, in his glowing embers.
These are a couple of scenes from the first part of Yotam Ottolenghi’s Mediterranean Feast, a four part weekly series for More4, starting Monday, 12 November, at 9pm.
Followed by a crew from Keo productions Yotam travels to Morocco, Turkey, Tunisia and Israel to unravel some of the Mediterranean’s lesser-known cuisines. Along the way he meets cooks, restaurant chefs, farmers and fishermen and cooks with local ingredients giving them the Ottolenghi “treatment”.
In the first episode expect to see Marrakech’s palace walls, firmly governed by local bossy storks, a group of stoic fishermen allowing Yotam on their rickety boat, some lamb, some couscous, some olives and lots and lots of cumin and preserved lemon.